Importance of Google Reviews & How to Get Them - Web Force 5

Building a website is not just about having a presence online - it's about the whole package. Creating a website that is attractive, intuitive and easy to use is crucial for a great consumer experience, as well as the product or service that goes along with it. However sometimes this is simply not enough. Google business reviews have the power to accelerate the performance of your website, driving new users to your site, increasing sales and your websites' credibility. 

So, what is a Google Review? Simply put, it is a short review left by a consumer about their experiences and opinions with a product or service. They allow any good business to prove themselves to their potential customers. Individuals are able to go online and share their experiences about a company without having to download an app. 

The Google ratings and reviews also provide both the business and its customers with valuable, measurable information and feedback on the customer’s experience. As part of the review process, individuals are asked to rate their experience numerically from 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest. Statistics show that 3.3 is the minimum star rating of a business consumers would engage with. The overall rating, and the total number of reviews are located next to the Google Maps listing.

Google reviews can give businesses clout within any industry at essentially no cost at all. There are many benefits of getting good, high quality Google reviews including improved search engine optimisation, increased online reputation, brand trust and feedback. Below are just three of the many reasons why Google reviews are so beneficial for small to medium sized businesses.

1. Google Business Reviews Build Credibility

Google reviews makes you look a lot better than the competition. Simple as that. People rely on online reviews to research products and services as part of their decision-making process. A study conducted by Zendesk reported that 90% of respondents who recalled reading online reviews claimed that positive online reviews influence buying decisions, while 86% said buying decisions were influenced by negative online reviews. Additionally, 93% of consumers said that online reviews impact their purchasing decisions. In a way, Google reviews are essentially feedback from your consumers, so taking their opinions into consideration moving forward will show your target market that you are a responsive and forward-thinking business. Simply put, having great online reviews boosts your reputation.

2. Google Business Reviews Increase Brand Trust

Today, it is not uncommon for a consumer to research a business before purchasing products or services. In fact, nearly 88% of consumers read reviews to determine the quality of a local business. As transparency has become a large factor that influences brand trust, that percentage is likely to increase. A large part of this research is generally done through Google reviews.

As reviews build up over time, they act as a signal to other consumers as to whether the brand, product or service is legitimate and worthwhile. This provides a great opportunity for local businesses to gain a competitive advantage over competitors by collecting Google reviews and using them as a form of feedback to make better and more educated business decisions in the future.

3. Google Business Reviews Increase SEO

Google’s search algorithms are complex and tricky to understand. But, one thing for sure: Google reviews have an impact on Google local search. A portion of Google’s search algorithm is driven by review signals like the ones found in a business’ Google reviews. These review signals are focused around review quantity, velocity and diversity, as in, the amount of reviews coming in, the speed or rate at which they come in, and how diverse the reviews are from one another. 
 
A combination of these three review signals can help to move your business towards the top of Google search results. Additionally, this factor helps your business get found much more easily and quickly than utilising only traditional search engine optimisation activities like keyword research and blogging. While still important, it is important that you do not solely rely only on traditional methods and neglect mediums like Google reviews. Search engine optimization in Australia can be built upon by obtaining reviews from local consumers.

How to Get Reviews from Customers

Using Google reviews as part of your marketing strategy can be incredibly effective, particularly on gauging consumer satisfaction or engagement from other advertising efforts. However, consider the touch points you have with customers and the various times or ways that you can request reviews. This can be post sale, an email request, phone request or through social media. Additionally, providing some kind of incentive can be a great way to encourage more people to write reviews. 

The goal is to make it easy as possible for a consumer to leave a review. A great way to do this is to ensure you provide a suggestion for consumers use a link directly to the review page, making the review process quick and seamless. Pushing to get reviews from consumers can be fine if the consumer base is small, however it can be difficult when the size of your business starts to increase. This is where a great website content management system that offers SEO marketing services comes in. 

There are a number of dedicated software tools to help manage online reviews.

Continuum is a website content management system built by Web Force 5 in Australia, with extensive functionality built in such as Ecommerce, a CRM and email marketing. Continuum allows you to use links on pages or within the email marketing system to help facilitate getting the reviews. Plus, with the built in CRM, you can track who has and who has not provided a review. Additionally, all clients get a custom designed website with dedicated account manager to help provide feedback and guidance to improve website performances & achieve objectives.

Speak to a specialist consultant for a free, no obligation chat.

References:
https://www.zendesk.com/resources/customer-service-and-lifetime-customer-value/
https://www.qualtrics.com/blog/online-review-stats/